Mobile City Councilman William Carroll will not seek re-election

Two-term Mobile City Councilman William Carroll talks to the local media on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, at Government Plaza in Mobile, Ala. Carroll announced he will not seek a third term as District 2 councilman. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com)

MOBILE, Alabama – Two-term City Councilman William Carroll
announced today he will not run for public office in August, ending months of
speculation on whether he planned to jump into an already crowded field of
candidates for the District 2 seat.

Carroll said he wants to spend more time dedicated to his
new job with a small engineering firm based in Houston. He said he will
continue living in Mobile and working out of a local office.

"My first love has been engineering and construction and
those kind of things," Carroll said. "Here's an opportunity to build an
existing company (in Mobile) ... it's nice to be part of that process and to be
building and designing something to show our kids 20 years from now."

Carroll's announcement came at the end of today's Mobile
City Council meeting and on the last day in which people can file to run for
the council and mayoral elections on Aug. 27. The deadline to file is 5 p.m.

The city's second district consists of a majority of downtown and midtown Mobile and has been the site of some high-profile issues in the last year including the approval of an entertainment district and the ongoing development of the city's land development code.

Carroll said he's not planning to endorse anyone.

"I will probably quietly watch the race like Mayor (Michael)
Dow did in 2005," he said, referring to the four-term mayor who wasn't running
for re-election during a mayoral race won by Sam Jones.

Carroll was first elected in 2005, defeating long-time
incumbent Thomas Sullivan. He was re-elected in 2009, defeating Dotson and
Jeffery Jones.

"It's been an honor to serve here," Carroll said. "I've
enjoyed every minute of it."

Carroll acknowledged the past couple of years have been "extremely
hard for me and my family." His mother, Helen, died last month. He also
said he wants to spend more time coaching youth sports and to spend time with
family.

But he said the ultimate decision to not seek re-election
was based on a professional choice, and that his employer is currently
expanding in Alabama.

"You sometimes see me leave council meetings so I can get to
an airport so I'm not late," Carroll said. "This opportunity is something I can't
say 'No' too."